


Coming back

by orphan_account



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Alpha Rick Grimes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Insecure Daryl Dixon, Kidnapping, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Canon Compliant, Omega Daryl Dixon, Protective Rick Grimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The group saves Daryl from his kidnappers and bring him back home. Rick is worried and a sweetheart.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes
Comments: 4
Kudos: 127





	Coming back

**Author's Note:**

> I'm late to this party but i love them.

The day they broke down Negan's last outer outpost, the biggest of them, everyone was exhausted with bruises, cuts even fractures. Rick hadn't really slept for days because everytime he closed his eyes he could see the gut frenching horrors Negan had done. He couldn't stop thinking what they'd done to Daryl, his Daryl. He would jolt up at every sunset like clockwork and nobody resisted. They worked together to get their dear Daryl back, who had kept them from starvation at the worst of times, who threw himself in the line before anyone else. He was the fiercest omega anyone had met and they'd be damned if they lost him.

Negan wasn't there but Rick recognised more than enough faces, and decided to beat them until he didn't. He was like a furnace or pure rage, instincts driving him forward even when he was covered in blood from head to toe, bullets had crazed him in six different spots and a stab wound welled in his thigh. He grabbed that son of a bitch Dwight by his neck and smashed his knee into his face. The beta sputtered and fell on his ass but quickly scrambled onto his knees. He bared his neck for the alpha in submission. Rick growled in dissatisfaction and grabbed him again to yank him up. "Where is he?" He growled, his alpha voice bouncing against the concrete walls and rattling the beta's bones. Dwight whined and turned to lead the way.

They walked through the basement maze, it was dirty and cold and the thought of his omega having to live like this made him step up his pace a notch. Up ahead he heard shots and then his pack mates came running into view. Rick nodded his appreciation as they stayed alongside them for protection. Few tried to jump them but Sasha and Jesus were faster. When they finally reached the door at the end of the north part Rick's heart was in his throat. He knew he couldn't have anymore outsiders there when they'd reunite so after Dwight opened the door he knocked his light out. Sasha and Jesus took care of dragging him away.

The sight of Daryl completely shattered his heart. It also instantly changed his demeanor. He went from a walking meat bag of rage to a comforting, protective mate. Daryl sat naked and curled up in one corner, seemingly not reacting to his surroundings. Rick crouched and approached him slowly with his hand extended. Maybe if the omega would uncurl just enough to smell him he'd react. But he stayed still as a statue so Rick opted to take a seat next to him, though far enough that if Daryl got spooked he wouldn't scratch the shit out of him. First he tried crooning softly and letting the rumble in his chest draw out, hoping his scent would cover the tinted stink of the room. Then he decided to start talking. "Daryl, sweetheart?" He knew Daryl wasn't the one for sugary pet names but he had to coax out something. "I'm here, we're here to get you out. You're safe." Daryl seemed to give a full body twitch at that. Rick crooned again, he gently touched his arm with his fingertips. Next thing he knew he had been slapped and his cheek burned from Daryl's overgrown nails. Hadn't sat far enough then.

He looked back and the omega was staring at him wide eyed. The gold of them disappointingly dim in the dark room. Rick gave him a reassuring smile. "Let's get you out of here, huh?" Daryl's expression fell back to his regular one but he stood up with Rick. The alpha stripped his own unfortunaly blood stained shirt and put it on the omega. Then asked for permission before scooping him up bridal style, knowing Daryl wouldn't normally let him. Daryl dropped his head against his shoulder and nuzzled his nose into the juncture where his scent glands lay. He let his pack mates lead them out a faster way so he could focus on releasing as much calming pheromones as he could. Outside the sun had risen fully and only things to be heard were birds singing and walkers growling behind the walls. The rest of his pack mates were circling the area, keeping it safe for the leader pair to pass. Couple of the men had been captured and bound for questioning about Negan's whereabouts, including Dwight who was still unconscious. As they passed them, Rick squeezed Daryl harder against him and looked ahead. In the RV he lied Daryl on the bed and pulled the comforter over him. The omega didn't object, didn't do anything in fact besides close his eyes.

Rick sighed, the supposed heart in his throat would eventually crawl back and make him cry but for now he sat beside his mate and tried to unwind. Distantly he heard talking outside and then people loading into the RV, they stayed out of the other section for now though.

Of course their trip back home couldn't go without mishaps, Negan still had his patrols up and both sides were more than happy to raise hell. Rick was forced to leave his omega's side when things went south and it felt like ripping off a limb. Daryl had started whimpering and he didn't stop until the gunfire and yelling ceased and Rick was by his side again, covered in a fresh coat of blood. Halfway Rick allowed Carol to patch up the worst of his wounds, she asked about Daryl but they both agreed to wait till they got home. Rest of the way Rick didn't leave once, he stroked through Daryl's ragged hair and held his hand. Whispering promises.

When they arrived in Alexandria, Daryl was still unresponsive and his gaze empty. He walked after Rick while wrapped in the comforter like a burrito. Rick had left the others to unpack with enormous gratefulness. Michonne told him to just go home already. So they did.

Carl was at the door to greet them, he looked at Daryl with symphaty and grief, come to think of the omega as a parent. Rick explained the situation the best he could, Carl promised to give them space and smiled at Daryl. Rick grasped Daryl's forearm through the blanket and started guiding him upstairs to their bedroom. As they passed Carl and Judith's room the baby could be heard quietly whimpering. Daryl suddenly halted and started dragging Rick behind him instead who still hadn't let go of his arm. 

"Baby." Daryl's voice broke as he leaned over the crib to see the fussing child. Judith recognized him and instantly stopped her oncoming cries and waved her tiny arms in the air. Rick stopped the blanket from falling off the omega as he hurriedly went to scoop the pup up. Judith let out happy little coos and nuzzled closer to Daryl. Rick instantly noticed the change in the baby's behavior, in all the time Daryl had been gone it was rare to see or hear joy from the little bundle. She was in a bad mood more for no reason and at the time Rick hadn't paid it much mind but now the switch flicked in his mind. He snaked his hands around the omega's middle and hugged him tight, looking over his shoulder as Daryl gently caressed her soft cheek. Neither of them said anything, just let the moment sink in until Judith was asleep again. Daryl placed her back and turned to Rick who, to his horror, saw tears bubbling in his fatigue stressed eyes. 

"The bed...please." He shifted his gaze down, as if afraid to speak up to the alpha. It made Rick want to smother him in love and punch a hole in the wall simultaneously. Instead he cupped his tear stained cheek and kept it there until Daryl leaned into it, but he seemed afraid to close his eyes like he normally would. Rick cocked his head to nose at his neck which bared for him easily. He felt sick when he realized his scent had almost completely been erased. Looked like Daryl had been clawing at the bite mark too.

"Sorry, alpha...had'to go neutral, not to agitate nobody." The omega whispered. "No, darling, no being sorry. We just - god, we gotta trim your nails." Rick lifted one of his hands to inspect them further, Daryl never would've let them grow out this long normally, the nail of his thumb had probably been chewed beyond repair. His other nails are strong and sharp though, coated with dirt and probably blood too.

Rick tested the welts he had left on his cheek and Daryl gasped. "Did I - I'm -" Rick's both hands clasping his silenced him. "No apologies, you got every reason to." Daryl huffed, then seemed to break out of his shell more, enough to give his alpha a searing kiss. Rick leaned into it, all passion, pouring his love and sorries from his very core. They separated when Judith made a noise, both men froze expecting a signature cry but it never came and silence settled again. "We should go before she wakes again." Rick put a hand to his lower back to guide him but Daryl seemed hesitant. "Come on, Carl will take care of her. I want you to rest." Finally Daryl let go and walked with him to their bedroom. "I ain't done nothing but sat in a crammy room for who knows how long, and you want me to rest more?" Daryl sat on their bed and let the comforter finally slide off, then he removed Rick's shirt and as bare as he was he felt safe again. Rick immediatly handed him sweats and a clean t-shirt, which is obviously his and had been drowned in sweat more than once. "Did you sleep though? Like really sleep and not that aware while resting your eyes bullshit?"

Daryl shook his head and then grimaced. "They'd play this happy-go-lucky piece of shit song over 'n over again, fuck, even the thought of it makin' me nauseous." Rick frowned, he wasn't sure whether to coax Daryl to talk about the whole thing, or if he should do everything he could to make him not think about it. He noticed the room's all dark except for faint moonlight, so he lit candles. "You tryin' ta burn the house down?" Daryl asked. "Well, atleast we would be warm." Rick came back to him, brushed his criminally long hair out of his way and kissed his forehead. They're both tired and all but ready to sleep but also covered in gunk. " 'should take a shower." He gave the omega's hair one more brush and went to the joint bathroom. Giving Daryl the option to choose.

By the he got the shower going on warm and he was getting out towels, Daryl wondered in. He looked almost shy up until he saw the running water and stripped so fast, Rick thought he might pull a muscle. The omega let out a satisfied grunt as the hot clean hot water hit his skin and slid down in muddy streams. Rick joined him and grabbed a washcloth to start scrubbing at his back. A deep rumble emerged from his throat when he saw the scars. Daryl turned around and snatched the cloth. "It's not like I was much to look at before either." He murmured and swiped along the alpha's chest, avoiding the still red cuts. "Say something like that again - you're gorgeous, Daryl." Maybe it was the hot water but Rick's pretty sure the omega flushed at that. "Handsome, brave, the best..." Rick's grin only grew bigger when the other man ducked his head. "And you're a cheeky, annoying bastard." Daryl grumbled and the alpha laughed. "Oh, you love me." They joined in a quick kiss again but then the water abruptly went ice cold. "Motherfu-"

The entirety of the week Rick spent more or less fussing over his omega, and his family in general as his instincts were on edge since he hadn't reclaimed Daryl. The omega would complain about his possessive behavior during days but at night he would have nightmares. Rick was geared to wake up at the smallest of sounds, so when Daryl starts whimpering and turning in his sleep he's immediatly there to make it better. Sometimes he would wake up to an empty spot beside him and panic briefly before finding the omega with Judith. Him and the baby had a special bond that only a pup and its mother could have. Biologically Daryl isn't her mother but he has taken care of her since the start, when Rick was too busy talking to hallucinations.

After seven days Daryl's nightmares seem to cease and he's more comfortable with Rick holding him again. He accepted Rick's proposal to claim him again. "Of course, you dumbass, ain't nobody but you." Daryl had said like it was absurd for Rick to even to ask. But Rick knew better and only smiled. He had his his Daryl back and maybe he'd never be completely same with what he went through, but Rick's gonna be there for him no matter what.

The morning after the bonding Rick went to visit their captives, smelling like omega and pride. The two betas in the cell didn't react besides lowering their gaze but the alpha was rigid and visibly trembling trying to keep himself still. He had been humiliated and subdued, and now a high ranking alpha was assaulting his nose like it's what he does for fun. Rick stepped into the cell unarmed and worry free. His judging eyes looked them over several times. He stared at the alpha as he spoke. "Well ain't you a sorry bunch."

"You think you're so smart, there ain't no way out of this. Not for you, not for your people, not for your boot-licking omega." The other alpha growled out, struggling to maintain eye contact. Rick didn't do as much as move a muscle. "Did you work on what to say all this time? Good job. When's the last time you ate, three days ago?" He changed the subject, trying to make the stubborn idiot realize he didnt have the upper hand. "I guess so, and have you been having fun for the past week, with that slut thinking everything's fine and dandy."

"Matt shut the fuck up!" Dwight snapped. The alpha snarled and attacked him, foam was basically dripping out of his mouth as he punched. Aaron came in to kick the furious man off of the beta and pointed a gun to his temple. "I'm gonna eat you for breakfast you pathetic excuse for a man -" He kept going. Rick gave Aaron a nod and he knocked the fucker out. "You'll tell me where he is, or maybe if you get lucky he'll come lookin', but don't think we ain't ready." Rick said and got out. "Let's hope he wasn't serious about that."

Daryl was waiting outside like he'd told him to, five times. As much as he wanted them dead they needed the information. "You're gonna let me kill him once he breaks." The omega stated and Rick nodded. "Let's go, dinner's ready."


End file.
